How many times have you said something like, “let me be the bad guy” or “I am comfortable with my decision” to one of your children? More times than I can count, Brian and I have said something along these lines to our kids. We do not want you going to that movie or that place or participating in this or that because we wanted to relieve our children of the pressure that could be placed on them by their peers. While I may be 100% secure in my decision as a parent to not allow my teenager to watch “Fifty Shades of Grey” or to have SnapChat. I don’t want my teenage daughter to have to explain that in detail to her peers. I want to carry that burden for her, so I would simple say, “Blame it on me. Tell them that your mom said no.” Our motivation as parents however is always out of a deep love for our children and a desire for them to have a life full of blessing.

A Christian artist has taken some heat recently for an answer she gave in a recent interview. The artist was asked, “Do you feel that homosexuality is a sin?” Her answer was off base and there has been quite a bit of backlash surrounding it. But can I simply say that the question is all wrong?

The way that I, or any other Christian for that matter, “feels” about something has absolutely nothing to do with that activity or choice being a sin or not. Our Father is the only one who determines what is or is not sin. Our opinion or feelings on the matter are completely irrelevant. He is comfortable with His Word. He is comfortable with His definition of sin and He is comfortable with the way He communicates it. He is not relying on us, as His children, to convince society at large of His motivation behind His decisions. And He certainly isn’t asking us as His children to minimize what He has said or to apologize for Him. He is a good Father, loving all of his children, and He will carry the burden.

If one of my children were asked by their peer, “How do you feel about your curfew?” The response should be something like, “How I feel about it is irrelevant. My curfew is set by my Father.”

How about we do what Christ Himself instructed us to do?

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Let’s remember that we are children and He is a Good Father. He is comfortable with His decisions and He bears the burden. When we try and clarify or apologize for Him, we always mess it up.

Homosexuality is one of many sins. Because our God made that clear in His word. My part as His child is to love; to love Him first and most and to love others as myself.

In the Christian artist’s response, she hit on something very important, “I have too many people in my life that I love and they are homosexual.” I have so many people in my life that I love that are gossipers, liars, who envy and who are selfish…many people I love who…fill in the blank. I myself had sex outside of marriage which lead to an abortion, sexual sin and taking innocent life. My “feelings” have little to do with any of these things being sin or not…my feelings have everything to do with the incredible love, forgiveness, grace, mercy and redemption that my Father has lavished on me as His child and is waiting to pour out on any of His children who have committed any sin out of His abundant love for us.

The justice of the Father and His desire for His children to live blessed lives motivate Him to draw the line and establish sin. The incredible love of the Father motivated Him to provide a sacrifice to cover our sin and bring us back into relationship with Him.

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” Ephesians 3:17-18

You can swim confidently into the murky waters of parenting teens! Rescue offers wisdom, encouragement, and practical applications. Working with a group of young “Lifeguards” throughout the book, Candy Gibbs gives struggling parents the life preservers they need to rescue teens from a drowning culture. With Biblical insights and Candy’s own creative techniques, Rescue is the “Noah’s Ark” of parenting books, ensuring that today’s teens will carry on a legacy of godliness to generations to come. Find out more!